In Foxborough on June 26, France wrapped up their group stage campaign with a dominant display. Facing a Norway side rotated by ten players, without Haaland, Odegaard and Sorloth, the French — guided by assistant coach Guy Stéphan while Didier Deschamps returned home for a family bereavement — scored four goals and finished top of Group I with a perfect nine points.
The match was settled in the first half, and by one man above all. At the 7th minute, Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring with a right-footed strike after beating Björkan, set up by Kylian Mbappé. At the 20th, he doubled the lead with a curled left-footed effort into the far corner from another Mbappé pass. After Aasgaard pulled one back for Norway (21st), slipping past Upamecano and beating Maignan at his near post, Dembélé completed his hat-trick at the 32nd minute, again with his left foot after two feints in the box. He becomes only the third French player to achieve that feat at a World Cup, joining Just Fontaine and Mbappé, and moves level with his captain at the top of the tournament's scoring charts with four goals.
In the second half, Mike Maignan proved decisive by saving Strand Larsen's penalty (50th), awarded after a Theo Hernandez foul, and then denying Bobb (72nd). Désiré Doué, the only attacking starter to play the full 90, headed home a Barcola cross in the 94th minute to seal the result. France now set their sights on the round of 16, where Sweden are expected to await them in New York early next week.
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